Not often I have another Sunbeam alongside.. It's French owner and I spent most of the morning discussing, with the rest of the Club and visitors, the differences between the English Sunbeam Alpine (pronounced Alp "eye" ne) and the French Renault Alpine (pronounced Alp"eee"ne). One chap simply couldn't understand how 2 cars, so different, could have the same name (Alpine) until I told him that the French obviously nicked it! We shared a hot chocolate and all was well...

Stella

2 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)

Stella

Posted - 21 Nov 2013 : 12:43:40 Hi Arran

Yes, the French were talking about the Renault Alpine car which is nothing like the Sunbeam Alpine..... and as far as my research tells me.. Sunbeam used the Alpine name long before Renault nicked it...!!

The Sunbeam Alpine owner is a Frenchman who adores and appreciates English old cars.. and he can say the name properly..!!

Stella

Arran

Posted - 21 Nov 2013 : 09:19:43 Hallo Stella

Interesting picture indeed. However, are you sure the french chap did not mean the Renault Alpine? this was a pure bred, first with a 1300 engine then upping up to 1800 (or so, not sure any longer). This Renaults were real good racers and well known and raced in F, B, CH, less in I and D and only to a handful of people in GB. In never ownded one but race one in two occasions on the Hockenheimring. As ist has the engine on the back, the handling is total different and I had first a substantial numbers of «tete-a-queues» ...